Hurricane Melissa is impacting cruise ships that were scheduled to sail to destinations in the Eastern and Central Caribbean this week. After intensifying and making landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 storm, the hurricane led to the cancellation of scheduled visits to destinations in the region. Royal Caribbean had to reroute the Icon of...

“Our commercial flywheel combining innovative ships distinctive destinations and world-class brands continues to drive sustained growth in guest trust and our ability to deliver the best vacation experiences responsibly,” said Jason Liberty, CEO and chairman of Royal Caribbean Group, speaking on the company’s third quarter earnings call. “We are focused on building a vacation platform...

The Azamara Pursuit sailed from Lisbon earlier this month for a 21-night cruise to the Canary Islands and Africa. Sailing to Cape Town, the month-long voyage will feature visits to eight ports of call across six countries and islands. The itinerary is highlighted by a visit to Saint Helena, a remote British overseas territory in...

Ahead of its winter season in South America, MSC Cruises is warning guests of a change in insurance policies in Argentina. According to a statement sent to booked passengers, the country is now requiring foreign visitors to present proof of valid travel health insurance upon entry. The new rules that requires the insuranceare already in...

Carnival Cruise Line confirmed that five of its vessels had to change their itineraries due to Hurricane Melissa. According to the company’s website weather updates, the Carnival Celebration, the Carnival Dream, the Carnival Liberty, the Carnival Sunrise and the Carnival Vista were affected by the Category 5 storm. “Our Fleet Operations Center in Miami is...

Royal Caribbean Group’s CFO Naftali Holtz said that capacity in the Caribbean for the company has grown as it holds a strong position in the region. During the company’s 2025 third-quarter earnings call, Holtz said: “As expected, capacity growth in the fourth quarter is driven by new ships, the Star of the Seas and Celebrity...

Royal Caribbean Group has announced a new private destination in Santorini. The company said it continues to strategically invest in expanding its unrivaled portfolio of destinations and experiences, “deepening its competitive moat, strengthening its vacation ecosystem and creating new ways to deliver extraordinary vacations that resonate with guests.” The company has thus announced plans to...

Royal Caribbean Group today reported third quarter Earnings per Share  of $5.74 and Adjusted EPS of $5.75. The company said these results were better than the company’s guidance primarily due to higher than expected close-in demand and lower costs. The company is raising its full year 2025 Adjusted EPS guidance to $15.58 to $15.63, representing...

The MSC Preziosa opened the 2025-26 cruise season at the Brazilian port of Santos on Sunday, October 26, 2025. Concluding a trans-Atlantic crossing that departed from Germany, the vessel also marked the opening of the national season in Brazil. Set to be followed by six additional vessels from both MSC and Costa Cruises, the Preziosa...

Carnival Cruise Line is adjusting itineraries to avoid the path of Melissa, which intensified into a Category 5 hurricane on Monday. The company’s Brand Ambassador, John Heald, said that ships sailing to Jamaica and nearby destinations are being affected. “Of course, the captains on the ships that have changed itineraries will have informed the guests...

Windstar Cruises will deploy the Star Explorer year-round in Europe when it debuts in late 2026 for the small-ship brand. Now open for booking, her first full season of Europe cruises runs through March 2028, featuring a lineup of classic journeys and new itineraries on the 224-guest ship. From Circumnavigating Ireland to discovering the Seven...

MSC Cruises made significant changes to the current itinerary of the MSC World America due to Hurricane Melissa, which is currently moving through the Caribbean. According to a statement sent to booked guests, the vessel will drop most of its planned calls to avoid the storm. Originally scheduled to offer a seven-night cruise to Puerto...

The former Viking Sun is scheduled to return to Europe in 2026 after four years sailing exclusively in China. According to Viking’s Chinese website, the ship will operate cruises in the Mediterranean that are geared to Chinese guests. Currently sailing in Asia as the Zhao Shang Yi Dun, the 2017-built vessel is set to offer...

SunStone Ships’ Ocean Victory is scheduled to offer a series of expeditions in the Arctic during the summer of 2026. Cruise Industry News found departures onboard the ship being sold by Adventure Canada and Polar Latitudes Expeditions. Planned sailings include expeditions to Iceland, Greenland and the Northwest Passage, as well as the Canadian Arctic. A...

Two cruise ships will serve as floating hotels during the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, South Korea. According to reports, the Piano Land and the Eastern Venus will host attendees after being chartered by the event’s organizers. Located 370 kilometers away from Seoul, Gyeongju is said to be facing challenges due to...

Mexico’s Port of Progreso in Yucatán is expecting record cruise ship arrivals over the next two years, according to a report in local media. The country’s Minister of Tourism Development, Darío Flota Ocampo, said that cruise lines are addingcalls at the port through 2027. Ocampo noted that the increase in traffic is being driven by...

Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador John Heald said that the company’s adults-only cruises are “extraordinarily popular” with passengers. In a social media update, he noted that the special sailings received positive feedback from the market but mentioned that Carnival will continue to offer multi-generational experiences. “We are and always will be a proud family cruise...

The MSC Euribia is currently sailing to the Middle East ahead of its winter season in the United Arab Emirates and the Arabian Gulf. With its repositioning cruises cancelled due to security concerns in the Red Sea, the LNG-powered ship is currently sailing around Africa. The long voyage started in Northern Europe in mid-October and...

The Brazilian government is looking for a new private operator for the Maceió Cruise Terminal as part of a 25-year concession contract. A bidding process was held in São Paulo on Oct. 22, with the winning bidder expected to be announced soon. As part of the contract, the awarded company will be required to invest...

Sailing in the region for the first time, the Discovery Princess recently arrived in Asia as part of a repositioning cruise. The ship embarked on a 29-night itinerary between Seattle and Singapore following its summer season in Alaska. The month-long repositioning voyage departed from North America in late September and included visits to four destinations...

Damen Shiprepair Brest has completed its 50th cruise ship project since joining the Damen Shipyards Group in 2012, marking a major milestone in its drive to make cruise refits greener and more efficient, the company said in a press release. The French yard recently wrapped up work on the Disney Fantasy, following a similar project...

The City of Dubrovnik in Croatia will continue to charge a tourist fee for cruise ships visiting in 2027, according to a report by The Dubrovnik Times. According to the local newspaper, the City Council recently passed a proposal that will keep the rates unchanged for the year. The fee is applied to each ship...

The Scenic Eclipse opened the 2025-26 cruise season in Uruguay with a visit to the Port of Montevideo earlier this week. Offering a repositioning cruise to Antarctica, the Scenic vessel was the first to arrive in the country for the season. According to Uruguay’s port authority (ANP), the ship was welcomed by national officials, including...

ASENAV and Antarctica21 celebrated a major milestone in Chilean naval engineering: the launch the Magellan Discoverer. The ceremony marked the exact moment the vessel was floated for the first time, on the Calle Calle River in the city of Valdivia. According to a press release, the event was attended by national and regional authorities, Fernando...

Tourisme Montréal and the Port of Montréal have signed a new three-year partnership agreement to support the city’s cruise growth. The announcement was made at the inaugural Montréal Cruise Forum on Tuesday, October 22. It was confirmed at the event that Montréal will begin its first-ever winter cruises in February 2027 with Ponant adding the...

The AIDAluna recently arrived at the Chantier Naval de Marseille in France for its AIDA Evolution refurbishment. As the second ship to undergo a refit under the initiative, the 2009-built vessel entered drydock following a fall season in Western Europe. During its seven-week enhancement, the AIDAluna will get new features, in addition to an overall...

The new Star Seeker recently departed from the West Sea shipyard in Viana do Castelo, Portugal, for a series of sea trials. The 10,000-ton vessel is scheduled to be delivered later this year. After departing from Portugal on Oct. 23, the Star Seeker is set to remain at sea for a few days while undergoing...

Miami-Dade County Commissioner Raquel Regalado said that the fuel farm crisis currently threatening operations in Miami is an opportunity to “bring the port into the 21st century.” As previously reported by Cruise Industry News, the port’s bunker depot, which is privately owned and located on nearby Fisher Island, was sold to a real estate developer...

Royal Caribbean International celebrated the beginning of the construction of its seventh Oasis-class ship on Thursday. According to a press release, the milestone was marked with a steel-cutting ceremony held at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire. Ordered in 2024, the yet-to-be-named vessel is scheduled to be delivered by the French shipyard in 2028. Representatives...